Partition wall installation



E. K. SMITH PARTITION WALL INSTALLATION June 2, 1970 H v. Mm Ru 7 om om R W 6 mm m M o M N QM QYIL .m W M 1 3w Q W E w t M a W" A a Q E w h w R H A @N E w m QM mm W e m NM I2 fi j a w em 2 om QN 9+ \Rv Sq w M QM. /4 I Q v Om E 8 6 9 l 3 2 .L P e S 1G e l i F E. K. SMITH PARTITION WALL INSTALLATION June 2, 1970 Filed Sept. 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet I 92 1 196. 88 46 4e 71' .7 93 F 7% .8. C ,90 as :82 la- H g? X lull-n 46 I I \a i 43) 52 9 8684 88 90 10 46 93 Rw 46 /jz ./0. 100 94 INVENTOIQ= 42 EVERE TT SMITH HISHTTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 52204 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Partition wall structure that may be removably erected in an office building and the like without any securing or supporting means therefor being attached to the floor. The structure includes a ceiling channel and opposed wall channels, the ceiling channel extending from one wall to the other, and each wall channel extending from the floor to the bottom edge of the ceiling channel. These channels once installed comprise the only permanent elements of the installation. The wall-to-wall and floor-toceiling dimensions having been determined in advance, the paneling and the additional supporting means therefor can be prefabricated, transported to the site, and installed without the use of any tools whatever. Should it subsequently become desirable to remove the partition wall, it may likewise be dismantled without the use of tools. Except for the ceiling and wall channels that would remain, no evidence of the earlier partition wall installation FIELD OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of this invention is to teach a novel prefabricated partition wall installation concept for an oflice building and the like. In accordance with this concept, once approximately accurate wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling dimensions had been ascertained, the components for said wall would be fabricated accordingly, then transported to the installation site and erected, as will appear.

It frequently happens that for example in consequence of a management or tenant change, the removal of a partition wall installation becomes desirable. It is therefore a further objective of the present invention to provide a readily removable partition wall installation that may be dismantled without the use of tools, and without leaving any visible traces on the floor of the former existence of the removed installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A partition wall installed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention will include a channel member rigidly secured to the ceiling, and a pair of opposed channel members each rigidly secured to one of a pair of horizontally spaced walls extending from the floor to said ceiling. The ceiling channel extends from one wall to the other and is rigidly secured to the ceiling by means of spaced toggle screws or other appropriate fastening elements. Each wall channel extends from the floor to the bottom edge of the ceiling channel, and is rigidly secured to its adjacent wall by means of spaced toggle screws or other appropriate fastening elements. Obviously and as should be apparent, a hole forming drill and a screwdriver "ice or the like would be required to install the ceiling and wall'channels, but for the installation of the partition wall itself no tools would be required.

Briefly, the invention includes two principal types of panels, these being what will hereinafter be termed standard panels having a width of forty-eight inches, and what will hereinafter be termed closing panels having a variable but predetermined width as will appear. The panels may be fabricated of wood, plastic, composition, or any other selected material as is understood. Each of the panels has a bottom rail channel so disposed that in an erected partition wall, a continuous bottom rail channel formation will extend along the floor from one wall channel to the other, interrupted only in the event a door opening should be included in such partition wall.

The invention also includes vertical stud members that serve to receive and overlie the opposed vertical end portions of adjacent panels. These stud members are H-shaped in crosssection, and extend from the lower edge of the ceiling channel to the top edges of the bottom rail channels. There are two types of stud members, these being a plurality of integrally formed studs, and at least one split or two-part stud. Each split stud as will appear, is comprised of a male half section and a female half section. All of the studs provide opposed channel formations for the reception and frictional retention of successive standard partition panels, and as will appear, split or two part studs are only employed between a standard panel and a closing panel.

The invention also provides a standard door frame that may be interposed at any desired location between the panels, said door frame also being supported by a vertical H-shaped stud member at each side, and by a horizontal H-shaped stud member at the top. Inasmuch as a standard door frame has an opening width of thirty seven inches, the invention also provides a relatively narrow filler panel for insertion between the stud that supports the door hanger side of the door frame and the next standard panel supporting stud. The filling panel is also provided with a bottom rail channel.

The invention is illustrated on two sheets of drawings that accompany this specification and objects and advantages not specifically noted hereinbefore will be apparent or pointed out in the detailed description that will follow with reference to said drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an exemplary partition wall installation embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 1;

FIG. is an elevational view of the female half of a split stud member;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a standard panel equipped with its bottom rail channel;

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of a standard door frame fitted into a pair of vertical stud members and a horizontal stud member;

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of a filler panel equipped with its bottom rail channel;

FIG. 14 is an elevational View of a closing panel equipped with its bottom rail channel;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged reproduction, partly in section, of the upper left hand corner portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating a standard panel interfit with an adjacent stud member; and

FIG. 17 is a view on a reduced scale, illustrating, the appearance of the FIG. 1 site prior to the installation of and after the dismantling and removal of the illustrated partition wall.

With respect particularly to FIGS. 1 and 17, the partition wall of this invention has been illustrated as extending from the left wall LW to the right wall RW, and from the ceiling C to the floor F of an oflice building or the like. It will of course be understood that this illustrated installation is exemplary only, and has been adopted because of drawing space limitations. In other words, the length of the partition wall may be greatly increased with the inclusion of more standard panels. Furthermore, although for purposes of illustration a door frame has been included, partition Wall installations in accordance with the teachings of this invention may be erected with paneling only, and therefore without the inclusion of one or more door frames. It should also be apparent that when a door frame is included, it may be interposed between any selected standard panels of the installation.

The cross-sectional contour of the ceiling channel 20 is best seen in FIG. 2. It includes integrally: a base section 22; a pair of opposed leg sections 24; and a flange segment 26 projecting inwardly from and constituting the free end portion of each leg section. The opposed inner extremities 28 0f the flange segments are preferably rounded, and the distance between them is minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

The cross-sectional contour of the wall channels 30 is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 9. Each channel 30 includes integrally: a base section 32, and a pair of opposed leg sections 34 that terminate in slightly inwardly projecting end segments 36. The opposed end segments 36 are preferably rounded as at 38, and the distance between them is minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

The cross-sectional contour of the bottom rail channels 40 is identical with that of the wall channels. However, in the interest of clarity herein, other reference numerals Will be employed to designate their constituent parts. As best seen in FIG. 4, each channel 40 includes integrally: a base section 42, and a pair of opposed leg section 44 that terminate in slightly inwardly projecting end segments 46. The opposed end segments 46 are preferably rounded as at 48, and the distance between them is minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

The channel 20 is rigidly secured to the ceiling C, preferably by means of a series of longitudinally spaced conventional toggle bolts 50 (not shown in detail). The channels 30 and 40 are likewise rigidly secured to the walls LW and RW respectively by means of a series of vertically spaced similar bolts 50.

All panels included in the partition wall are of uniform thickness. A prefabricated standard panel 52 is shown per se in FIG. 11. It has a top edge 54, a bottom edge 56, a left side edge 58, and a right side edge 60. Applied to the bottom edge 56 of the panel 52, is a bottom rail channel 40 having a length corresponding to the width of said panel, but positioned to project a determined distance beyond the right side edge 60 thereof, as illustrated.

A prefabricated filler panel 62, that would be employed when a standard door frame is incorporated in a partition Wall installation, is shown per se in FIG. 13. It has a top edge 64, a bottom edge 66, a left side edge 68, and a right side edge 70. Applied to the bottom edge 66 of the panel is a bottom rail channel 40 having a length corresponding to the width of said panel, but positioned to project a determined distance beyond the right side edge 70 thereof, as illustrated.

A prefabricated closing panel 72 having a determined width is shown per se in FIG. 14. It has a top edge 74, a bottom edge 76, a left side edge 78, and a right side edge 80. Applied to the bottom edge 76 of the panel is a bottom rail channel 40 having a length of less extent than the width of said panel, said channel being positioned so that its ends terminate short of the edges 78 and 80 thereof, as illustrated.

The cross-sectional contour of an integral H-shaped stud member 82 is best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. Each stud 82 includes integrally: a central base section 84, a pair of opposed leg sections 86 extending therefrom in one direction, and a pair of opposed leg sections 88 extending therefrom in the opposite direction. Each of the four leg sections terminates in an inwardly projecting flange segment 90 that is preferably rounded as at 92, and the distance between each opposed pair of them is minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

The cross-sectional contour of a split or two part H- shaped stud member 93 is best seen in FIG. 7. The stud 93 is comprised of a male component generally designated 94, and a female component generally designated 96, the latter appearing per se in FIG. 10.

The male component 94 includes integrally: a central base section 98, a leg section extending therefrom in one direction, and a leg section 102 extending therefrom in the opposite direction. Each of these leg sections terminates in an inwardly projecting flange segment 104.

The female component 96 includes integrally: a bifurcated central base section 108, a leg section extending therefrom in one direction, and a leg section 112 extending therefrom in the opposite direction. Each of these leg sections also terminates in an inwardly projecting flange segment 104. In the assembled status of the split stud 93, the opposed pairs of terminal flange segments 104 are in engagement with the side portions of the adjacent panels 52 and 72, and as demonstrated in FIG. 7, the base sections 98 and 108 combine to form a composite central base section designated 114.

The cross-sectional contour of a door frame 116 is shown in FIG. 5. It is comprised of a jamb section 118 that in accordance with the concepts of the present invention, includes integrally: an opposed pair of flange extensions 120, each terminating in a slightly inwardly tapered end segment 122 having a rounded extremity 124 as shown. Prior to installations, the distance between the outer faces of the extensions is minutely larger than the distance obtaining between the inner faces of the leg segments 90 included in the studs 82.

In partition wall installations wherein a door frame 116 is interpolated, a rectangular panel 126 of determined size would be provided to close the opening between the door frame supporting vertical and horizontal studs 82 and the ceiling channel 20.

PERTINENT OBSERVATIONS A wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling partition wall installation can be erected and subsequently dismantled for removal, most expeditiously in accordance with the concepts of the present invention. Only two cooperating workmen are required to effect either of these objectives. The dimensions having been ascertained, all of the components of the partition wall would be prefabricated accordingly. Except for the ceiling and wall channel installations, no tools are required. The rounded edges 28, 38, 48 and 92 facilitate entry of the various panels and the door frame, as is understood. As previously indicated, the channels and studs would be so fabricated that the distances between their leg extremities will be minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels, whereby to provide a yieldingly frictional engagement condition. The channels and door frame are preferably of extruded aluminum material, whereas the panels (illustrated as wooden), may of course be made of other well known materials. All of the panels for a contemplated partition wall would have a uniform thickness.

ERECTION Although it is believed that the installation of a partition wall in accordance with the concepts of the present invention should be manifest from the foregoing description and an inspection of the drawings, a brief recital of the procedure with reference to the exemplary installation shown in FIG. 1 will be given.

The ceiling channel 20 would first be rigidly secured in place by the spaced toggle bolts 50, whereupon the wall channels 30 would be similarly secured in place. The resultant appearance following this procedure is shown in FIG. 17. Thereupon, progressing rightwardly from the left wall channel 30, a standard panel 52 would be installed, followed by the installation of a stud 82. Thereupon a door frame 116 would be placed in position, followed by the insertion of the panel 126 and the installation of another stud 82.

In order to reinforce the door hanger side of the frame 116, a relatively narrow filler panel 62 and another stud 82 would be added, followed by the installation of another standard panel 52. Obviously, the inclusion of the panel 62 is optional, and such panel would not be included in an installation except when a door frame 116 is also included.

Proceeding rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 1, successive studs 82 and standard panels 52 would be installed. Following installation of the final panel 52 however, a filler panel 72 would be inserted into the ceiling channel 20 and the right wall channel 30, thus leaving a gap between the adjacent right side edge 60 of said final panel 52, and the left side edge 78 of the filler panel 72.

It is at this point that the function of the novel split stud 93 becomes apparent as should be clear from FIG. 7. It will be remembered that only two workmen are required for the present installation, so that the first workman would insert the bifurcated central base section 108 of the female component 96 into the aforesaid gap standing on one side of the now nearly completed partition wall. Then the second workman would insert the central base section 98 of the male component 94 into said gap, and into the bifurcated section 108 of the female component 96 while standing on the other side of the thus completed partition wall.

It is not deemed necessary to describe the dismantling procedure in detail, inasmuch as such procedure would simply be a repetition of the described steps in reverse. The scene following removal of the partition wall appears in FIG. 17.

What is claimed is:

1. In a prefabricated partition wall installation for a building site having a ceiling, a floor, and a pair of spaced walls, in combination:

a channel rigidly secured to the ceiling and extending from one to the other of said walls;

a pair of channels each rigidly secured to one of said walls and extending from said floor to the bottom edge portion of the ceiling channel;

a determined plurality of standard panels each equipped with a bottom rail channel applied thereto in determnied position;

a door frame interposed at a selected area intermediate the pair of wall channels;

a rectangular panel adapted to close the opening therabove resultant when a door frame is included in the installation;

a relatively narrow filler panel equipped with a bottom rail channel applied thereto in determined position for use when a door frame is included in the installation;

a closing panel equipped with a bottom rail channel applied thereto in determined position, all of said panels having a uniform thickness;

a plurality of integral H-shaped vertical stud members each extending from the bottom edge of the ceiling channel to the top edge of a therebelow bottom rail channel, said studs serving to support the sides of the panels and the side portions of the door frame;

an integral H-shaped horizontal stud extending between the door frame supporting studs and serving to support the top portion of said door frame and the there above rectangular panel aforesaid; and

a two-part or split H-shaped vertical stud member extending from the bottom edge of the ceiling channel to the top edge of a therebelow bottom rail channel, said stud being insertable between the final standard panel and the closing panel.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the channel rigidly secured to the ceiling includes integrally: a base section; a pair of opposed leg sections; and a flange segment projecting inwardly from and constituting the free end portion of each leg section, the opposed extremities of said flange segments being rounded, and the distance between them being minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein each of the channels rigidly secured to one of the walls includes integrally: a base section; a pair of opposed leg sections; and a flange segment projecting inwardly from and constituting the free end portion of each leg section; the opposed extremities of said flange segments being rounded, and the distance between them being minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein each of the bottom rail channels includes integrally: a base section; a pair of opposed leg sections extending ther from; and a flange segment projecting inwardly from and constituting the free end portion of each leg section, the opposed extremities of said flange segments being rounded, and the distance between them being minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein each of the integral H-shaped stud members includes: a central base section; a pair of opposed leg sections extending therefrom in one direction; a pair of opposed leg sections extending therefrom in the opposite direction; and a flange segment projecting inwardly from and constituting the free end portion of each leg section; the opposed extremities of said flange segments being rounded, and the distance between them being minutely smaller than the thickness of the panels.

6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the twopart or split stud member is comprised of a male component and a cooperating female component; said male component including integrally: a central base section; a leg section extending therefrom in one direction; and a leg section extending therefrom in the opposite direction, each of said leg sections terminating in an inwardly projecting flange segment; said female component including integrally: a bifurcated central base section; a leg section extending therefrom in one direction; and a leg section extending therefrom in the opposite direction, each of said leg sections terminating in an inwardly projecting flange segment; said central base section of the male component and said bifurcated central base section of the female component being adapted when inter-engaged to form a composite central base section for said stud member.

7. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the door frame is comprised of a jamb section that includes integrally: an opposed pair of flange extensions each terminating in a slightly inwardly tapered end segment having a rounded extremity, the distance between the 7 8 outer faces of said extensions being minutely larger than FOREIG PATEN the disfarlwiai gkztainigg beltweel inger fages of leg seg- 253,900 8/1963 Australiah ments me u e 1n Sal H-s ape stu mem ers. 785,382 10/1957 Great Britain References Cited 5 ALFRED c. PERHAM, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,635 5/1937 Sharp 52 241 3,189,135 6/1965 Slowinski 52 241 52241,461 

